Conveyer table



Inventar orneys March 14, 1939-. E. J. RAFFETTVO` CONVEYER TABLE 4 sheets-sheetv 1 Filed May l2, l937 1939. 5.1.1. RAFFETTo 2,150,610

CONVEYER TABLE March 14 4 sheets-sheet 2 Filed May l2, 1937 March 14, 1939. E. .1. RAFFETTO CONVEYER TABLE Filed May 12, 1937 4 Shee 15s-Sheet 3 E. J. -RAFFETTO CONVEYER TABLE Filed May 12, 1937 4 sheets-sheet 4 A ttorneus .m ,.w, nrul- K n Q .m f s NNW M K 00 i ww n MN e ww ,n a 5. MN Nh. Q y, Ah B o o, ov 5 .mw ww o n no. o o o a a o o 3 3 o o Q y o c o o o. o o o O 0 o NW MN. o nm. o O O Sv NW O O o o n 0 o o .v o 0 0 O O o 0 o 0 o o 0 D o o o 0 o o O O 0 u e m Q e m O L .1 O A 1 O QN nw m. Q N4 Patented Mar. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.v

1v Claim.

My invention relates to improvements in tables of the conveyer type for use more particularly in fruit and vegetable packing industries and allied lines.

As is well known, in fruit and vegetable packing houses such produce is sorted, trimmed( washed, etc., and packed by various operatives who work in crew formation, for instance, one or more trimmers, sorters and washers to one or more packers, and the personnel of the crews is ,varied depending upon the quality of the produce, for instance, in the case of poor produce, more sorters, trimmers andV washers to each packer and vice versa in the case of good produce. Usually, the packers pick from bins, tables or stands, the produce as prepared by the trimmers, sorters and washers. A particular disadvantage of this procedure is that when varying the personnel of a crew, it is necessary to shift, eliminate, and add bins and tablesl or stands, in accordance with the variation in personnel contemplated, to properly relate the operatives for the expeditious handling of the produce. Also, the number of operatives is limited in a given area of oor space by the bins, tables, etc., as will be clear.

Having the foregoing in mind, the primary object of my invention is to provide an eicient practical table designed to permit variations in crew personnel without shifting or altering of equipment, speed up operations` al1 along the line, economize in floor space, and facilitate handling of ,the produce in every operation incident to preparation and packing thereof.

Other objects are to provide apparatus of the class and for the purpose above indicated which is strong, durable, economical to manufacture, maybe easily and quickly installed, and is readily kept in a sanitary condition.

To the accomplishment of the above, and subordinate objects presently appearing, a preferred y embodiment of my invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, set forth indetail in the following description, and defined in the claim appended hereto.

In said drawings;

Figure l is a view in top planillustrating the conveyer unit of the table and parts of the sup-- porting structure therefor,

Figure 2 is a view in transverse section taken through one end of the table on the lines 2--2 -of Figure l, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and drawn to an enlarged scale,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in top plan of one end of the table with the conveyer unit removed and drawn to an enlarged scale with reference to Figure l,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view inside elevation of drive mechanism for the conveyer unit viewed from the inside of the table and with parts eliminated for clearness of illustration,

Figure 5 is a view in top plan of the driving mechanism, c

Figure 6 is a View in transverse section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure l, looking in they direction indicated by the arrows,

Figure '7 is a fragmentary view in transverse section ytaken on the line 1-7 of Figure 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows,

Figure 8 is a view in side elevation of one end of the table illustrating the end supporting structure,

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a conveyer chain forming part of the conveyer unit, Y

Figure 10 is a similar view in top plan, and

Figure 11 is a bottom plan view of one of the conveyer sections.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, in the illustrated embodiment thereofi, my improved table is elliptical in form, with nat sides and rounded ends, and comprises as its basic element, a supporting structure including a pair of inner and outer elliptical bar-like side frames I and 2, preferably of wood, opposed pairs of inner and outer side legs 3 and 4, as shown, for instance, in Figures 2, 6 and 8, supporting said frames, respectively, at suitable points, and cross braces, as shown at 5, connecting opposed legs 3 and 4 of said pairs. The ends of the frames I and 2 are supported by suitable legs 6 arising from a base 'I and inclined braces, as at 8, extending from said base bar to the outer frame 2. The legs 3, 4 and 6, braces 5 and 8, and the bar 1 are formed of angle iron. A pair of inner and outer channel iron guard rails 9 and I0 extend around the inner and outer frames I and 2, re-

spectively, and are xed to said frames, inv any Y suitable manner, to extend slightly above the same, said rails being spaced from 'the ends of said frames, as by spacers II, for a purpose presently seen. A

Intermediate the frames I and 2, centrally thereof, on each side of the frame structure,.ls a pair of laterally spaced inner and outer guide rails I2 and I3, respectively, in each instance eX- tending along the straight stretches of said framesand suitably secured to the cross braces posed pairs of links connected by pivot pins I9 and having anti-friction roller 20 mounted on said pins Vintermediate said links for engagement with the guide rails I2, i3 and I4.

Superposed on the frames I and 2 to slide thereon is an endless sectional conveyer 2| the sections of which are metallic plates 22 having substantially semi-circular convex leading edges 23, correspondingly curved concave trailing edges 24 and straight side edges 25. The sections 22 correspond in number to the number of pairs of links I'I and I8 of the conveyer chain as will be clear. Each section 22 is secured to a related one of the upper run of links I8, as presently described, with its leading edge 23 nested in the trailing edge 24 of the preceding section to turn therein. The sections 22 are pivotally secured to related chain links Il to oscillate about the axis of their leading edges and by means of brackets 26 one of which depends from each section 22 and is` pivoted to the related link I'I by a stud I9 passing through said link and the subjacent link IB. Bushings 28 are mounted on the studs 21 between pairs of links I'I and I8 for a purpose presently apparent.

As will be understood, the sections 22 are of sufficient width to fit between the guard rails 9 and II] with the requisite clearance to travel around the ends of the supporting Structure without binding against said rails. In this connection, as previously indicated, guard rails 9 and I0 at the ends of the structure are spaced from the frames I and 2 to provide suicient clearance for said sections 22 when rounding the ends of the frames. At the ends of the structure inner and outer substantially semi-circular baffle rails 29 and 3U are secured to the inner and outer guard rails 9 and IIJ by angle bars 3I to overlie the ends of the conveyer close thereto and thereby prevent produce from rolling 01T the ends of the structure or being caught between the edges of the sections 22 and guard rails 9 and ID. The sections 22 are provided with depending shoes 32 for engagement with the frames I and 2 and lugs 33 on their trailing edges underlying and preventing relative tilting of the sections.

The described conveyer chain II, IB is driven, in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 1, by a driving unit, Figures 4 and 5, located at one side of the structure, and comprising a motor 34 supported by brackets 35 on a suitable base 36. Columns 37 arise from the base 36 and support a longitudinally extending channel beam 38. A vertical drive shaft 39 is journalled at its opposite ends in said base 36 and beam 38, respectively, to extend above the latter alongside the said conveyer chain. The armature shaft of the motor 34 is operatively connected to said drive shaft 39 by bevelled gearing 39. A stub shaft 4I is mounted on said Vbeam 38 to extend upwardly therefrom alongside said conveyer chain I'I, I8. Sprockets 42 are mounted on the extending end of the drive shaft 39 and stub shaft 4I around which is trained a sprocket chain 43 parallel with said conveyer chain. The sprocket chain 43 is operatively connected to the conveyer chain I'I, I 8, by studs 1313' on the former engaging the before-mentioned bushings 28 on the latter. Opposite the sprocket chain 43, the guide rails I2 and I3 on the related side of the structure are cut out and a single angle iron guide rail 45 is used in lieu thereof, said rail 45 underlying the studs 44 to support the sprocket chain and being secured to appropriate cross braces 5. Intermediate the runs thereof, the sprocket chain 44 is guided by angle iron guide rails 46 mounted on said beam 38.

It is to be understood that the motor 34 is designed to be connected to a suitable source of electrical energy, not shown, and is of the type adapted for variable speed operation to correspondingly vary'the speed of travel of the conveyer 2 I.

The operation of the invention will, it is believed, be understood without further description. The operators take their positions around the table in the order corresponding to the order of successive operations to be performed on the produce and may perform all such operations on the conveyer 2i so that the washed, sorted, and trimmed produce is conveyed to the packer or packers, in a continuous steady stream. Other particular advantages of the invention are that all operations are expedited. The packer, or packers, may set aside on one side of the table and allow to accumulate sizes or grades not suitable for a particular box being packed and for subsequent packing as desired, or, they may simply pick from the continuous stream of produce as it passes by. The described shaperof'v the table provides for economy in floor space in one direction, and permits placing one side of the table together with the trimmers, washers and sorters on one side of the house within convenient reach of produce being brought in from While in the foregoing certain preferred de-A tails of construction and combination of parts have been described, manifestly such details and relations may be modied without departing from the inventive concept and right is herein reserved to all such modifications falling within the scope of the claim appended hereto.

What I claim as new is:

In a table of the class described, a supporting structure comprising inner and outer elliptical frames forming parallel trackways, a conveyer unit including plate-like sections slidably mounted at their sides on top of said trackways in endto-end relation for traveling movement in a common plane, means for driving said plates including a link chain beneath said plates centrally of said trackways and to which said plates are pivotally connected, inner and outer guide rails at the ends o f the inner and outer frames, respectively, projecting over the side edges of the plates to prevent tilting of the same and forming bumpers for preventing articles from being thrown off said plates at the ends of the tables, and means to center the chain between the trackways and the plates relative to the latter cornprising guide rails extending around the table intermediate said frames and along which saidV 

